Preventing suicide

If someone has thoughts or feelings about suicide, it’s important to take them seriously.

It can be really hard to tell someone you care about that you are feeling suicidal. Thank them for telling you, and invite them to keep talking with you.

Let them know there is help available to them. Encourage them to get help and talk to someone about what they are going through.

If someone has attempted suicide or you’re worried about their immediate safety, they need urgent help.

When someone is suicidal

A person who is thinking about suicide might not ask for help, but that doesn’t mean that help isn’t wanted. They might feel ashamed of how they're feeling, like they don't deserve help, or like no-one can help them.

People who feel suicidal often feel like they are alone and that their family, whānau and friends would be better off without them.

Most people who attempt suicide don’t want to die – they just want their pain to end or can't see another way out of their situation.

Lots of people feel suicidal at some time in their lives. It can be impossible to have hope that things will get better.

Support from people who care about them, and connection with their own sense of identity and purpose, can help them to find a way through.

In this section

Most people thinking about taking their own life will try to let someone know, but they often won’t say so directly. This page lists warning signs for suicide, and describes who is at higher risk.
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